Camera



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. W. GRANT.

CAMERA.

No. 329,385. A Patented Oct. 27, 1885.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. W. GRANT.

CAMERA.

No. 329.385. Patented Oct. 27, 1885.

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W. W. GRANT.

CAMERA.

,5, Patented Oct. 27

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4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(N o Model.)

W. W. GRANT.

CAMERA.

Patented 0611.27, 1885.

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N. PET`ERS. PhawLmr, wumngton. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM VALLACE GRANT, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,385, dated October 27, 1885.

Application iiled June 29, 1883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAIII WALLACE GRANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cameras, of which the following isaspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in photography; and it has for its principal objects to dispense, as much as possible, with the painted accessories and backgrounds in connection with photographic settings, which are unwieldy, cumbrous, and expensive, and on that account objectionable.

The above-mentioned objects I attain by the method hereinafter specied, and by the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l represents a side elevation of an improved camera for carrying out my invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same; Fig. 3, a view of the darkslide or plate-holder detached, showing the same partly open front and rear; Fig. 4, a top view of the same; Fig. 5, an end view of said slide, and Fig. 6 a detached view of a portion of the adjusting mechanism. Fig. 7 represents a perspective view of the rear section of the camera, showing the means of supporting the transparent positive in front of the sensitized plate. Fig. 8 represents a detailed perspective view of a portion of the device for supporting the plate; Fig. 9, a sectional view of the same; and Fig. l0 represents aview of amodication of the standardsupports.

The letter A indicates the camera, which .is constructed in two sections, a b, the rear section, a, being hinged at c to a base, B, in order that it may be adjusted, as more fully hereinafter specified. The forward section consists of a bellows fastened at its rear to the rear section, as indicated by the letter d, and at its forward end to a frame, e, which travels on a horizontal frame, g, and is operated by a rack and pinion, h, in the ordinary manner, for the purpose of adjustment. The said frame is provided with a rectangular opening, and in front of the same with a frame, i, adapted to slide in ways k, being operated by means of a screw, Z, to be elevatedv Serial No. 99,476. (No model.)

or lowered. The said frame carries the panel to which the lens-tube is attached. Between the rear and forward sections, or at the forward part of the rear section, is the recess in which the focusing-slide and the dark-slide are inserted, the said recess being indicated by the letter m in the drawings. The said recess extends from side to side of the camera, and is open at one end, the other being prolonged and closed by the detachable cover, for the purpose hereinafter explained.

The letter a indicates la spring-catch on top of the camera, just over the slide-recess and extending into it, the object of which is to adjust the plate-holder and focusing-frame to the proper position.

The letter p indicates a frame secured to the base just in front of the rear section of the camera, which is provided with an anglebracket, r, through which passes a screw, s, which is adapted to turn therein, and which works into a threaded aperture in a similar bracket, t, on the top of the rear section,

whereby said section may be adjusted on its hinge. At the bottom, von opposite sides and on the inside, the rear section is provided with ways a, in which are adapted to slide the metallic strips or tongues t, secured to the ends of a block, w, which is provided with racks w on the under side, which are engaged by the pinions y, mounted on a shaft, z, journaled in suitable bearings at the bottom of the section and extending through one side of the same, theprojecting end being provided with a knob, by which it may be turned to move the block back and forth for the purpose hereinafter specified. The said block on top is provided with a longitudinal groove, a', and with ways b', in which are adjustably clamped the bases o of the vertical standards d', by means of the set-screws e'. These standards are provided at their upper ends with forwardly-extending arms g', which at their extremities are bent laterally toward each other, as indicated by the letter h', and to said arms h are secured the adjustable slotted plates t, which are similarly bent, as indicated by the letter 7c', forming nippers,77 by which a glass plate, notched on its sides, may be held in a vertical position and adjusted behind the sensitized plate in the plate-holder or dark-slide. The rear section of the apparatus is constructed in two ICO parts, which in the present instance t together obliquely, being hinged at the top at m in such manner that the rear portion of said section may be elevated, so as to expose the interior for the purpose of manipulation when desired. rlhe top and bottom of the said rear portion are inclined, as indicated, the top being provided with an opening glazed with fiash77 ground glass, or other translucent medium, (indicated by the letter ii,) and is provided with a door, p', which may be closed to shut off the light when required. At the back of the rear section is a rabbeted opening, in which is secured a sheet of dash glass or other translucent medium, (indicated by the letter r in the drawings.)

lThe letter t indicates two curtains secured within the sections, at the ends of the same respectively, and two crank-frames'u, which are journaled in the sides of the sections, one end of each extending through one side and being provided with a knob, by which it may be operated to cut off the light at either end ofthe camera. The base of the camera is pivoted at o to the supporting-frame, so thatthe rear section will be capable of a'slight movement in the arc of a circle, for the purpose of adjustment, the adjustment being effected by means of' a segmental rack and racklever, w', at one side, as indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The letter c indicates the dark-slide or plate-holder, which without the covers (indicated by the letter b2) is of such thickness as to pass closely into the slide-recess in the camera. rlhe covers are arranged to slide in ways c'l on opposite sides of the plate-holder, and when the plate-holder is applied to the camera the said covers, at their forward ends, are set in vertical rabbets at the edges of the recess on one side, the plate-holder being pushed into the recess, leaving sufficient projection to support the covers, so that it may be drawn back between them when the eX- posure has been made. rlhe covers are held in place by means of a button, e, on the plate-holder, and said plate-holder is provided with a staple, g2, by means of which it may be manipulated.

rlhe focusing-slide, as well as the plateholder, is provided with adjustable frames h2, whereby different-sized plates may be employed.

The letter h3 indicates a back for holding the plate-holder in position in the recess in on the outside of the camera.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7, S, and 9 of the drawings the standards d are adjustably secured by the screws c in a grooved guide, u, which is journaled in the side walls of the camera, and which is provided with a crank, a', by means of which it may be operated to throw the transparency into and out of position.

Having described my improved camera, I will now proceed to describe the means of using it to produce photographic pictures.

rlhe object or sitter is posed before a large black screen or background, instead of the ordinary background, the background being continued down to and along the floor under the sitter, to a point in front of the same, so as to surround the sitter with a dark field. When, however, a direct positive plate is to be made, then a white background is substituted for the black background, and a very faint transparent positive taken on ground, opaline, or flashed glass, or other media is placed in the focusing-slide, the said positive representing the background to appear in the nished picture. Upon this the sitter is sized, located, and focused by means of the rack` and-pinion adjusting mechanism. A plate of glass, whichl call a masking-plate, is then secured inthe nippers before mentioned, and is moved up flush, or almost so, against the focusing-plate, (the faint transparent positive,) and with a brush dipped in ruby-red or other non-actinic or opaque pigment mixed with glycerine, the image upon the focusing plate is quickly outlined, and the parts of" the plate through which the actinie light is not to pass in a subsequent operation are filled in with the same paint. After this the movable block carrying the standards and nippers,and the masking-plate held between the same, is thrown back by the rack and pinion to admit the passage of the plate-holder into the instrument. The plate-holder is then taken,and in it at the front is placed a sensitized plate, and back of that and against it, or nearly so, a transparent positive, precisely like that ot' the focusing-plate, except that it is denser. rlhe plate-holder has its covers then closed and is taken from the dark-room to the camera, and the plate-holder `frame adjusted to the fo cusing frame and pushed from between its covers into the recess in the camera, pushing out the focusing-frame and taking its place,be ing locked in proper place by the latch. The masking-plate is then advanced up against the rear transparent positive, and the apparatus is ready for the exposure. rlhe dark curtains in the instrument, which had previously been closed at each end of the camera, are then let down simultaneously, so as to admit the light through the lens and through the windows at the same time, or it is admitted rst through the front lens and then through the rear windows or a rear lens, or vice versa, until the exposure is complete. The masking-plate is then turned back, the plate-holder removed and taken to the darkroom, and the plate developed, fixed, and finished, resulting in a complete negative or positive of' the object and the desired background. It will be observed that by this method the impression from the posed figure or object is produced by the light from such obj ect through the lens, and the background by transmitted light passing through the windows or lens in the rear, the blocked-out gure painted on the masking-plate preventing the light from the rear from affecting that portion of the sensi- IOO IIO

tive plate which is acted upon by the image produced by the front lens. In some instances the negative (and in each instance most desirable when practicable) may be produced by bringing the transparent positive in front,in stead of behind, the sensitive plate. Vhen this position of the transparent positive is practical, it is preferably located in the calnera, instead of in the plate-holder, as before mentioned. In this case all light must be shut out at the rear of the camera, so that no light can reach the plate from behind. The rays of light must, instead, be admitted so as to strike the transparent positive in front,and be transmitted through it to the sensitive plate behind it. In order to admit the light from the front, the rising and falling panel carrying the lens is made of glass or other transparent or semitransparent medium, or the lens-board may be made in the form of a frame, which may be glazed with such medium, to provide as large a light-admitting space as possible. rIwo dark curtains are swung on the rising and falling front,with their line of j uncture across the middle, and each is provided with a semicircular recess at said line of junction, to admit of the inner end of the lens-tube passing to the rear, the said curtains being capable of being opened from each other to permit the passage between them of any desired volume of light.

When it is desired to secure pure lines, etch, stipple, cross hatch, or such like effects throughout the impression of the image of an object on a sensitive plate, a transparent or semi-transparent medium may be employed embodying matter of the desired character, and immovably juXtapose this same with the sensitive plate, that no shift or movement can take place between them during the period of exposure. Light from the object to be photographed is then allowed to pass through the lens, and is transmitted to the sensitive plate through the more transparent or semi-transparent parts of the said medium, while the more opaque or semi-opaque parts of the said medium as correspondingly prevent the lights transmission to the sensitive plate. By this means the desired eect is photographed on the sensitive plate in and at the same time with the object.

When I desire to secure a further combination of effectswas, for instance,an image of an object which shall have an engraved-line effect running one way throughout it, while the border surrounding it shall be scenic and cross-hatched-I again proceed as follows: I interposea sensitive plate between two transparent or semi-transparent media embodying the respective matters to be impressed with that of the object to be photographed. In front of the sensitive plate (toward the object) I juXt-apose a transparent or semi-transparent medium embodying the line matter (running in one way.) Behind the sensitive plate I juXtapose another transparent or semitransparent medium embodying the scenic effect (having lines running throughout it in another direction to those of the medium in front of sensitive plate.) Being so combined in the instrument and ready for exposure, I adjust the masking-plate at the back (on which the image of the object has been previously blocked out) and proceed with the exposure by admitting light to the sensitive plate at the front, and by admitting light to the sensitive plate at the back, as heretofore described. Vhen completed in exposure, the usual mcthods are observed to preserve the plate from further light -action, the juxtaposed media removed and the impression secured, showing the object-marked, linear, and scenicafter the manner sought.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. The method of producing photographic negatives of an object or sitter and surroundings or secondary matter, by impressing on a sensitive plate the image of the object or sitter, by means of the light from the saine passing through the lens, and at the same time impressing the surroundings or secondary matter upon said sensitive plate by light transmitted through a transparent plate or medium containing the matter to be impressed, the light for which purpose being admitted independently of that passing through the lens at the front of the sensitive plate, substantiall y as specified.

2. The method of producing photographic plates of an object with engraved lines, etch, stipple, scenic, or such other secondary and combined effects, showing throughout the image and the border surrounding theimage,by j uXtaposing a transparent or semi-transparent medium embodying one part of the secondary matter in front of the sensitive plate, and juxtaposing another transparent or semi-transparent medium embodying the further matter, to be combined behind the sensitive plate,and transmitting the light passing from the object through a lens and the said transparent or semi-transparent medium in front to the sensitive plate, and transmitting light (independently of that passing through the front lens) through the said transparent or semi-transparent medium j uXtaposed behind to the sensitive plate, substantially as specified.

3. The method herein described of producing photographic negatives of an object or sitter and a suitable background by impressing the image of the object or sitter upon the sensitive plate in front by the reflected light from the same passing through the lens of a camera, and printing upon the said plate from the rear the image of the background by transmitted light passing through a transparent positive, substantially as specified.

4. The method herein described of producing photographic negatives embracing the images of an object or sitter and asuitable background, the same consisting in first posing the object or sitter before a non-actinic background in front of the camera, receiving IlO IIO

the image on a faint transparent positive on ground glass or opaline to determine its location, then blocking out the image in nonactinic paint on a transparent masking-plate, and then impressing the respective images from the front and rear by reiiected and transmitted light, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a photographic camera, of the front and rear sections having an in tervening recess for the plate-holder, and the plate-holder having sliding covers front and rear, and adapted to receive the sensitive plate and a transparent positive, the camera being provided with translucent Windows front and back, for the admission of light in addition to the lens, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with the camera, con- WILLIAM VALLAOE GRANT.

IVitnesses:

ARTHUR GnNNs, Jas. G. ROBINSON. 

